SOLUNAR + MUSKIES = INCREASED PERCENTAGE

###

No matter how many years you have fished; no matter how much time you spend on the water; every day fishing, should provide you with a learning experience. If you are having a great day by just tossing a line and a bare hook, there is a reason and something to be learned in that event. You could go back on that spot the next day, find the fish gone, or inactive and you might not know why. ALWAYS recap your day and ask, Who, What, Why, and How.

I have fished the Northwood's for nearly 50 years, spent 25 years fishing tournaments while guiding my last 3 years. This year I had 142 days on the water, so by my own words I should have had 142 lessons for 2005. There is no one single day that sticks out more than the same daily tip which seemed to be present the entire season. That daily pointer was fishing muskies during the known feeding periods.

Referred to by many as the solunar tables, fish seem to have two times in the 24 hour day when they feed more actively. Known as the MAJOR feed which lasts approximately 2 hours, and the MINOR feed which last 1 hour. The cause and effect of this feeding is based on the earth's gravitational pull with the sun and moon. Correlated by predictable times in the rotation and orbits of the earth, moon, and sun; feeding times can be calculated.

So what does this mean to an angler? The high and low periods in the gravitational pull of these bodies, are just as effective to fish feeding, as are the tides. Since there is no regularity or synchronism to the whole operational force, these times are never the same from day to day but do have a following pattern of one behind the other. You need not to be a rocket scientist or mathematician to calculate these times, as many great minds have already created tables for you. One place that I go to is the IN-FISHERMAN website for solunar tables, and you can go there at: wwwflin-fisherman.com/reference/solunar/calendars/. In addition many fishing tackle stores may have them in printed form. All you need is the simple understanding of how they work.

For precise times there is a fourth factor that needs to be added and that is your latitude and longitude. This is the fudge factor because 1:00 p.m. on Lake Mead is not the same as 1:00 on the Eagle River Chain. Consequently, the best place to get your specific location time tables maybe in your hand-held GPS unit or in specific charts for your area. Here with exact coordinates in your GPS you can go to your specific time of the Major and Minor feeding periods. Many, not all, GPS units have a menu that you can go to, to get this information.

I have always been a "FRONT" watch fisherman; I like fishing on front side of a low pressure system or a couple days on the back side of a high pressure system, for the best fishing. Cold fronts are the toughest and when high pressure sets in I would rather clean the boat, replace line, or sharpen hooks. Today, after this season, I can tell you more assuredly of a time to fish based on several key examples. Almost 75% of my muskies this year came in the calculated feeding times.

I have always known about the feeding times, but until this year I never noticed how strong the pattern could be. My first notice was on June 20th fishing the Monday Night Musky League. Fishing on the Eagle River Chain we started fishing at 4:00 p.m. Under cloudy skies, warm weather, surface temps near 80 degrees and advancing storm; it look to a good day. After 20 minutes I had a follow of a small fish of only 24 inches but the iron curtain came down. No strikes, no follows, and we held fairly well to the same area. League fishing stops at 9:00 p.m. and by 8:15 that little follow was all we saw. At 8:25 while casting a top-water bait, I had a tremendous strike. I caught a 44.5 incher, which concluded the season as the second largest fish. After measuring, photographing, and registering the fish he was released. My partner and I then took a break when he pulled out his hand-held GPS telling me the MAJOR was from 8:10 to 10:10 pm., but I thought nothing of it at the time.

A few days later, on July 7th, we were fishing a Muskies Inc. outing. This time we were fishing a small lake just over 500 acres. We were on the water at 7:00 a.m. casting religiously, but by 1:45 pm we had not seen a fish. My partner once again pulls out his GPS, informing me we have a major feed coming up at 2:10 pm. Once again, not thinking too much of it about 45 minutes later I had a good fish follow the bait. My partner tells me it is 2:20. So moving along about 15 minutes later I have a fish hit my lure and I could not set a hook. Now I am asking the time; 2:55 says Glenn. Still moving along I get yet another aggressive follow and I see the spot he came from. It's 3:15 now. I gave the spot a 10 minute break and moved back to the area I saw him come from. Same bait first cast I caught a nice 35-1/2 incher. Photographed and released we had about 45 minutes to fish, and I got yet another follow, all in the 2 hours given.

Throughout the season I continued to have action like this, and was telling my clients WHEN they would catch fish. These time tables carried through the fall when we were looking for the late season trophies. On October 6th we caught the one of the largest fish of the season measuring 46 -1/2 and weighing 30 lbs. this fish was taken at 2:15 pm. and the feeding time was 2:12 to 4:12 am. A week later on October 14th in the same area I tangled with a larger fish that I brought to the boat, that I know was over 50 inches. What time? 10:50 am. Solunar feeding times were 9:22 am. to11:22 are. These are only a few of many examples from this year.

There is no exact formula for this as you will always find fish to hit at a variety of times, locations, and condition. However, this season made me a firm believer that if I wanted to increase my percentage, the solunar tables may just help. Barring one condition, you still need to be in the right spot. It is said that you need to be in the right spot at the right time, and the solunar feeding tables will give you the right time. Since I took special time in relation to muskies I can only say the walleye and bass fisherman should find the same results. If you are on vacation and need to plan other events, plan your fishing hours to coincide with productive times and use the solunar tables.

Good Luck & Good Fish'n
Fred E. Brogle
www.HaveRodWillTravel.com

###

Back